Dana White to Address Oxford Union Society

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization, will follow in the footsteps of US Presidents, British Prime Ministers and heavyweights from the political, scientific and sporting arenas when he addresses Oxford University's famed Oxford Union Society on October 13th, 2010.

Founded in the 11th Century, Oxford University is the oldest surviving seat of learning in the English-speaking world. The Oxford Union was formed by Oxford University students in 1823 as a "haven for free speech during an age noted for University repression" and boasts a guest speaker tradition second to none.

Previous speakers at the Union include former British Prime Ministers, former US Presidents Carter, Nixon and Reagan, over a dozen heads of state from around the world, including the Queen of England, such notables as US Civil Rights activist Malcolm X, US Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, cosmologist Stephen Hawking, biologist Richard Dawkins, theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, and popular icons such as Pierce Brosnan, Clint Eastwood and Martin Sheen.

White said: "It is a great honor to be invited to address the Oxford Union. Anyone who knows anything about me knows I always speak my mind and am very passionate about what I do, and the Oxford Union was founded on exactly those principles. I'm looking forward to meeting the students, and I know they have a reputation for asking tough questions and expecting straight answers from their guests. That's exactly what they'll get from me."

Ash Sangha, the Vice President of the Oxford Union Society charged with inviting guest speakers, added: "Throughout its history, the Oxford Union Society has been a renowned stage for high profile and deeply interesting figures to share their stories and promote their passions.

"We are delighted that Dana White will be making his contribution to this great tradition when he visits us in October. As President of UFC, Dana has created a billion dollar global sports company in less than a decade and we look forward to hearing his take on the rise of the UFC and giving us greater insight into this phenomenon."

During his visit to Oxford University, White will visit the historic Oxford Union Library, as well as meet with Oxford Entrepreneurs, another campus student society, who are keen to quiz White on the strategies he deployed to transform the UFC organization from a money-losing spectacle into the fastest growing company in the history of sport.

White will be in England for UFC 120, which takes place at the O2 Arena, London, on October 16. Headlined by British middleweight Michael Bisping taking on Japan's Yoshihiro Akiyama, UFC 120 is the fourth consecutive event the UFC has sold out in the biggest arena in Great Britain. The UFC will also be celebrating the first ever British UFC Fan Expo, which takes place at Earls Court, London, on October 15 and 16.

About the Oxford Union 

The Oxford Union is hailed as the world's most famous and prestigious student society, having been founded in 1823 to provide a forum for free speech in an age when the University banned all discussion of politics and religion. Since then it has prospered remarkably. The Oxford Union is run by an elected student committee and students who have won elections here have gone on to do the same later in life, and it has produced five British Prime Ministers and numerous Presidents. The Union's record of guest speaker visits is world renowned. Its Chamber has played host to some of the most influential figures in the world: Presidents Reagan, Nixon and Carter have all spoken there, as have the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and the Queen of England.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship® - www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, USA with offices in London, England, UFC® produces over 30 live arena events around the world.  The world's largest Pay-Per-View provider, UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.'s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.'s Versus network and ESPN and Channel FIVE in the UK.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in 147 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages.  Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 6 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC Undisputed videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

SOURCE UFC

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